


Fates’ planned demise

by Mia_tae



Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angry Bucky, Angst, Asshole Steve, Canon Divergent, Depressed Tony, Fluff, Genius Tony Stark, Guilty Steve, Hospital, Howard is an asshole, Hurt Tony, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Tony, Inspired by forget me not, M/M, Multi, Protective Bucky Barnes, Soulmate AU, Suicidal tony, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, billionaire Tony, bucky is adorable, bucky winter soldier, canon AU, depressed, fluff/angst, hanahaki, kind of, sick, soulbond, tony needs to be appreciated, trio soulmate, young Tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:27:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27760735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mia_tae/pseuds/Mia_tae
Summary: Fate hated Tony, because why else would it make Captain America his soulmate? Of course, a presumed dead soulmate who Tony was in love with was akin to a death sentence, mainly because it just plagued him with a fatal hanahaki.Doctors gave Tony Stark 10 years tops, but here he was, 20 years later, breathing and kicking, barely yes, but not dead unfortunately for his father Howard, but Tony is starting to wish he was.Fate had much more planned for him,  as Captain America was found alive and thawed out of the ice, and what would you know? Of course the gracious Captain America despised his very existence.Now add a sprinkle of forced marriage on top of that, as if that would somehow make Captain America love him (Tony had hoped, but gave up as soon as the roots of his hanahaki ploughed and rooted deeper into his lungs.)Now add Bucky Barnes to the mixture, yeah, death was going to be his endgame, Tony was never suppose to live long.Notes: Inspired by Forget me not Myrime
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Steve/Bucky, Tony/Bucky, tony/steve/bucky
Comments: 35
Kudos: 263





	1. Chapter 1

Tony had death looming over his head since was he was born.

He was born with captain America's soul mark and a weird shaped birthmark. (Tony assumed it was a never fully formed soul mark, because if tony was going to be messed up, he had to be the peak of it.)

Stubbornly and annoyingly, Tony had planted his feet and shouted fuck you to the fate given to him, he would live! He would learn to deal with the body wrenching coughs, and he did, he learnt to control them at mere eight years old, especially when Howard became so irritated by his sudden coughs in the lab that led to a few flasks here and there being broken. Tony learnt to deal with them so that he was no longer a nuisance to his dear father.

He learnt to live with the building pressure in his chest which made him feel so faint and nauseous. He would live, so his mother would stop looking so heartbroken. Tony hated seeing her soft eyes brimmed with sorrow every time she looked at him.

And so Tony lived, no short of a miracle, he fought fate, and Tony didn't know why. There wasn't much to live for if he thought about it, but god damn it Tony wanted a life. He wanted to build all the projects that whizzed through his mind and he didn't want to be out of time. He wanted a whole life ahead of him like others.

However, as much as Tony liked to ignore fates' plan for him, his health was progressively getting worse, refusing to accept that he can no longer run freely or party didn't change the fact that he nearly passed out from an asthma attack every single time he tried to.

Then, at 20, a milestone for Tony, because he had outlived the doctors expiry date for him by a decade, he knew Jarvis hated when he referred to it as an expiry date but sarcasm and making everything a joke was the only way Tony could cope with the life he was given, but at 20, his dear not-so-dead soulmate; Captain America, was found.

He was found frozen deep in the Atlantic Ocean and was thawed out not only a week later by his very excited father, Tony knew his father had continued to search for Steve since he was born with his mark.

Howard was dissapointed in his birth, but at least Tony had brought good news with him, if Tony was alive and breathing with Captain America's soul mark, that must mean Steve Rogers was alive somewhere, even decades later since his plane fell into the Arctic.

Tony as pessimistic he was, actually had felt hope blooming, hope that things would turn right from here on out, that he would no longer have death looming over his shoulder waiting to make its claim.

He had a lot of sweet scenarios of him and his soulmate in his head that he fantasised over, he remembered the poem he had read as a pre-teen;

' I don't remember the last time I kissed a galaxy,

I don't remember what it feels like to be seen.  
I can't remember the last time I touched a star,  
So darling, let's go stargazing.'

Tony loved looking up at the stars, it sometimes grounded him that there is so much more then his pathetic life, that he was meaningless in the grand scheme of things so he shouldn't care that he was straddled with such a cursed fate.

He had hoped secretly, one day he could stargaze with his lover (Captain America secretly of course), he wished he had someone to lay under the stars and mutter their deepest thoughts to each other and whisper sweet words to, but no, of course not, Tony should've learnt from his previous experiences of how much fate despised him, because Captain America despised him.

He downright hated his existence.

One meeting and before he knew it baby blues were coldly glaring at him, lips curled in disgust and the hope that had flared in Tony's chest for a second diminished in a snap, the ease of pressure in his chest for that split second disappeared just as quick. That had been the first time Tony could inhale deeply and properly, it was a few seconds but Tony got to experience what a life where he was loved would feel like.

Tony hid how heartbroken he was as Steve strutted off with Howard, relief glowing on his handsome face as he at last left Tony's presence and Tony was very much nosy, he became addicted to that seconds of no pressure or suffocation and followed them discreetly.

He wished he hadn't.

He listened as his father asked Steve to marry Tony, and if Tony didn't know how much of a shitty father Howard was, his heart would've warmed but Tony knew it was only pretence. To keep his reputation up.

That, of course, Howard would get Captain America to marry his only prodigy son to save his life, because of course he loved his prodigy sick son so so much.

It was all a bit confusing, because Tony knew this was all for naught, marrying Steve wouldn't change anything because Steve hated him. Tony would wither and die eventually if Steve never garnered feelings for him, so why-

Oh.

Of course, Tony smiled bitterly. If he married Steve, then after he died all of his inheritance will be left to Steve, someone who Howard definitely would be happy to give to and there wouldn't be any disagreement from the public or board of directions because after all it was late Tony's husband.

Tony walked away, the pressure in his chest never feeling worse, and if he threw up and coughed for half an hour, forehead pressed against the cold toilet seat, no one said anything.

And if Tony threw himself outside into the garden, every bit possible drunk and stargazed by himself, crying silently as he wished someone lay beside him, no one said anything.

-

Now, a day later, Steve had barged into his mini workshop.

"I don't want this. No, I hate this. " Steve stated coldly, arms crossed against his chest and biceps bulging, and Tony had no self preservation so he stared shamelessly, but most importantly he could see his own mark peeking from Steve's inner elbow, it made him feel good, even though steve probably hated it,

He hated how Steve's lips curled in disgust when he noticed his stare.

"I know capsicle." Tony replied aloofly, focusing back onto the project in front of him, according to his father it was only thing he was useful for.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve hissed, eyes furious.

"Yes, being a dead man walking does that to you." Tony responded with an unexpected hint of truthfulness, tony didn't know why, its not like Steve cared.

Steve's glared softened slightly but he was guarded. "Don't expect anything from this." Tony heard the untold words behind the statement.

Tony laughed with no humour "Don't worry Steve, you don't have to consummate this marriage, I know you're from the 18th century but be relieved, that's not required now."

The slight softness to Steve disappeared. " I don't know why I bothered pitying you." He mumbled and if Tony felt the knife in his heart sink deeper he ignored it.

"-and it's Rogers to you, Stark." Steve announced before he left, body and voice tense.

Tony crumbled in his seat, hating how the petals in his chest angrily flurried about as Steve left. Tony hated how much he craved the company of the man that despised him, just like the rest of the world.

-

Like that, a year had gone by, in the early days Tony had asked Steve why he hated him so much, at that point after Steve's response, Tony gave up quickly and accepted death, no embraced it.

He remembered, big mistake, asking Steve when he was pissed off about being refused a different house to live in, shortly after both Howard and his mother had passed away from a car accident.

So you can't blame Tony, he felt lonely as fuck because he was now an orphan and the only people that gave a shit about him was Jarvis and Ana, so god forbid Tony wanted his soulmate to once tolerate him and stop trying to escape him like he was a disease.

Steve had spinned on his feet and shot lasers into him, almost as if he wanted Tony dead, Tony wished he was sat in that same car as his parents. At least he would've been dead, just like how everyone apparently wanted.

"You're not a good man. You haven't even cried one bit about your parents death, it's been two weeks! You're selfish, careless and quite frankly I won't fall for your pity party. Any decent man knowing he would die soon would at least do some good, but no, instead you trash and ruin everything around yourself. You are no good, to yourself or others. Frankly, sometimes I feel sick at the fact, that I am your soulmate let alone married to a man like you, but I feel even more indebted to Howard now that's he gone so do me a favour at least and stay the fuck away from me."

Tony stopped even trying to interact or defend himself, he let Steve spit and pull at him, Tony was masochistic so he liked provoking Steve, afterall that was the only attention he could get.

As much as Steve avoided Tony, took different halls, stairs, cars, tried to avoid dinner sometimes, he couldn't avoid public appearances, after all Steve, who was forced to actually be with Tony, which was clear to everyone except those outside the stark manor when Tony's health didn't improve, it continued to get progressively worse, but no one cared, because Steve was never here for him in the first place.

Tony guilty enjoyed the way Steve's arm begrudgingly snaked around his waist that was gradually getting tinier as he lost weight thanks to his friend from birth; hanahaki.

Tony as much as he was masochistic actually actively avoided throwing himself into the pretence they were orchestrating in front of the media and public, he wished Steve's eye smiles were real and for him, he wished the graze of Steve's lips against his cheek was real and truly for tony too.

In the year of their marriage this was the first time Steve was this close to him, which was fairly weird, they have had many public appearances before this but Steve hadn't been this touchy before, Tony stomped out the little hope in his chest before it could ignite.

There's no way Steve cared now, well firstly his hanahaki would have eased off and Steve wouldn't have stared at him awkwardly this morning as he nearly coughed up his lungs.

It was all going so well, Tony was enjoying their little pretence until a dumb reporter who was, of course, from Fox News, decided to belt out a question that included the forbidden word that Tony avoided because the last time he had Steve had quite nearly gotten physical with him, and not in a sexy way.

He had remembered Steve shoving him unapologetically into the wall, his strength uncontrolled as Tony had his breath knocked out.

He had stayed quiet as Steve spit out poison  
"Don't ever utter his name. He doesn't deserve to be in your disgusting mouth."

Yeah, not their marriages' best moment.

"Captain, is it okay if i ask about mr.Barnes-"

The reporter faltered as Steve dropped his sweet act and literally glowered, "no , you may not."

Steve then stalked off, he had discreetly shook off Tony's arm at least . Tony hated how pleasant the bubble of pretence was because he felt so cold as he watched Steve's back retreating away from him and the vultures surrounding him.

He hated how much, after all the hate and sharp words Steve had hurled at him, he loved the man. Steve might hate him because Tony stark was a worthless man wasting people's time and money, but he was still the Captain America Tony loved; self-righteous, loyal, stubborn to fault and everything Tony and probably Howard wished he could be.

-

Tony set on a mission.

He was going to find Barnes, Barnes was presumed dead since his fall off the train but no one had managed to retrieve his body, so Tony decided to find Barnes and at least made sure he had a proper funeral and hopefully it would give Steve closure.

Tony was probably pathetic for putting so much effort in for a man that hated him but what's another bad attribute to add to his 3 page list.

You see though, Tony didn't think he would find James Buchanan Barnes alive, Tony was brimming with happiness, because maybe just maybe Steve could tolerate him if he handed his presumed dead best friend, alive to him.

"Where is he?!" Steve had barged into his room, eyes wide and face stricken.

"Relax, he-"

"God damn it stark, I read the report and if you handed him to the government knowing none of his crimes were really he is-"Steve started hissing.

Tony sighed. "No. I didn't. I know you hate me and think I'm the peak of human scum, but I wouldn't do that; He's down the hall being looked after by some of the best psychiatrists in the world." Tony explained calmly.

He watched as Steve faltered before staring at him with scrutiny.

"Why?"

"Why what?

"What do you want from me? I'm not doing anything for you becuase you found-"

"Stop." Tony mumbled.

Steve frowned.

"Bucky was my favourite comics character you know."

Steves' face hardened. "For your own entertainment?! God, can you go any lower." Steve muttered disgustingly under his breath as he pushed past Tony, shoulders knocking into his harshly.

Tony relished in the pulse of pain in his shoulders to ground himself as Steve walked off.

He stumbled onto his knees, coughing hardly, bloody petals fluttering toward the floor, he ignored the pity in the maids eyes as she cleaned up after his mess.

-

If Tony didn't see Steve before, now Steve didn't even exist in Tony's life.

Steve was constantly accompanying Bucky, helping him get use to the current world, explaining the changes in culture and society, taking him around to try new things and of course the best buds of America became the new buzz around town, or the world if we're talking actually.

It was clear to Tony a few weeks later when he caught the two in an embrace, lips locked and hands roaming each others body, that no ,they were not just best buds.

He had quickly left when he noticed Steve's eyes catch him, and Tony was pretty sure he imagined the guilt swimming in them.

Tony never thought he would live a life where his partner would be cheating on him, then again this was a sham marriage.

It seemed from there onwards, Tony's hanahaki took a worse turn, and Tony could almost feel it in his bones, that it was near. As the pounds dropped off and his skin became waxy and pallid.

He didn't need to hear the doctor explaining to him that he most likely had a few months to live to know, and this time, Tony knows he won't live out the said expiry date.

Steve still shot heated glares towards him every time they somehow bleeped into each others existence randomly, but Bucky, although reclusive, stared at Tony curiously. Tony was irked, normally at this point Bucky had probably been informed that Tony was walking human trash, he should be glaring at him like Steve, but no, instead his brown eyes stared curiously.

Tony was even more weirded out when Bucky visited his workshop, all alone.

"Mr. Barnes?" Tony asked respectfully, god knows he doesn't want to face Steve if he somehow slighted Bucky.

Bucky smiled timidly "Call me Bucky, I heard...um, you were making an arm for me?"

Tony smiled "Yeah, you didn't have to come here though, Steve ordered it to be sent to the engineers down at Howards old workshop, so they can fit it onto you-"

"No."

Tony halted. "No?"

"Firstly you built the machine that removed the brainwashing from hydra, you made me a freeman, also, i would rather trust the man who built the device to fit it on then some random engineers."

God Tony hadn't heard something nice in so long and that's what he blames the slight blush on his cheek for.

Tony smiled, rubbing his neck "Grand compliment Bucky, you really know how to make a man feel good, but any engineer Howard hired, even beyond his death, is probably very capable."

Fuck, Tony wanted to slap himself, did he just flirt with Bucky?

Bucky didn't seem to mind as he plucked an eye brow playfully. "Well i am the recipient, so don't I get what I want?"

"Of course, Steve will just-"

"What's going on here?" Steve walked in, glaring at Tony as he approached Bucky and looked him up and down as if to check he was okay.

Tony almost snorted, at his nearly anorexic state he couldn't fight a small kid let alone a trained assassin super soldier.

"Hey Steve, I was just asking Tony fit the arm on for me."

Steve frowned, " I think you-"

"Steve, I can think for myself." Bucky stated with a certain tone that Steve seemed to recognise as he quickly deflated.

"Also, aren't you like rich? Why do you look starved as hell and secondly what is this weird tension between you two?"

Tony smiled bitterly, speaking up before Steve could. "You've got some catching up to do buck-Barnes...I'm a dead man walking and Steve over there....we're nothing."

Steve stayed quiet.

"A marriage doesn't seem like nothing to me."

Tony tensed up, trying to ignore Steve's cold eyes, he had tried his best to separate Bucky from the outside world so he wasn't updated but it looked like he had heard about their fucked up arrangement anyway.

"It's just marriage on paper, also daddy dearest needed it so that his grand empire was handed to someone worthy when i die at last, so buckle up you'll both be owners of the biggest tech company in the world once I'm dead."

Bucky flinched into Steve at the last word.

Tony watched Steve squirm as Bucky stayed quiet for a few moments.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bucky questioned Steve with hurt, before stalking off when Steve didn't reply.

Steve sighed and turned to stare at Tony, but not in anger like Tony expected, instead there seemed to be a speck of regret in his eyes, which Tony imagined probably.

Well, that was a nice introduction, Tony thought as he turned back to his project, hating how shaky his fingers had become.

He was becoming even more useless, if that was even possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony after a long night in the garden stargazing and drowning in his thoughts was walking back into the house when he bumped into Bucky.

Tony gave a weak smile, planning to walk pass him, because Tony was worthless and didn't exist and god when was death going to sink it’s teeth into him-

"Why do you go out to the garden at night so much?"

Tony stalled physically, bit taken back by the very random question.

"To stargaze." Tony replied, feeling himself flush as Bucky focused intently on him.

"Why? Someone like you...." Buckys sentence faded away.  
Tony smiled emptily. "Yeah, I know, but even someone scummy like me likes feeling better sometimes and star gazing makes me remember how insignificant everything is so...so what if I'm due to die soon?" Tony laughed humourlessly.

Buckys face twinged slightly and looked like he wanted to refute Tony's statement but decided not to.  
"So soon?" Bucky ended up replying after a long pause.

Tony chuckled. It was ironic. "You mean so late, I'm living ten plus years past my expiry date buckaroo."

Bucky didn't know why, but he felt his heart wrench as he watched Tony who looked worse off every single day stumble down the hall.  
Was it pity or sorrow? He didn't know.

-

Tony was confused and annoyed. It seemed Bucky had set on a mission himself, which was to bring all three of them together as much possible, he was trying to do the impossible, if you asked Tony.

He unapologetically forced Tony and Steve to spend time in the same room, breath in each others space as they ate, watch telly and sit together.

At first, there was some form of resistance from steve, Tony didn't bother because he wasn't going to slight Bucky, not only for Steve but also the way Bucky looked so optimistic and hopeful, Tony didn't have the heart to break it.

So for a good few weeks, they did normal daily activities all together like watching a movie, having talks, dinner, playing games in awkward silences with either Bucky and Tony or Bucky and Steve engaging with each other. Slowly, both of them stopped trying to evade each other for every get together organised by Bucky.

Steve and Bucky started spending time in the workshop, awkwardly looking bunched up in the leather couch placed in the corner of Tony's workshop, sometimes it was just Bucky or both and a few rare times, Tony had faltered in shock the first time, it was just steve quietly settled onto the couch with a sketch pad.

As time went, the get togethers all three of them adjusted to the change. Steve looked more comfortable and that to Tony came across as a complete shock and irritating reveal.

Is this what was needed? Some time together and Steve would be okay with him? Tony credited this to Buckys presence though.

He still gave full credit to Bucky when Steve actually smiled at him, like an actual genuine smile, not a fake or empty one he always gave.

It felt even more weird when Bucky had disappeared for a moment and Steve continued to be civil, he didn't glare, if anything continued the discussion like normal.  
Tony being the idiot he was kind of ruined it because he asked Steve "Why are you being nice?”, and Tony wanted to slap himself as he saw Steves’ relaxed posture slip away and replaced by a tense one, but steve didn't blow up like Tony expected.

"I guess, you're not so bad, and I can be civil you know, stark." Steve explained.

Tony didn't question it further.

-

"Did you call him Stevie?" Bucky asked as he grabbed the tub of butter popcorn and placed it on the wide mid rise coffee table in front of the couch.

Steve nodded, "he said he'd be around in ten."

Bucky frowned knowing it had been more then ten, "lets go check on him." Bucky felt warmth and gratification as steve didn't resist and readily got up.

Bucky despised this unaddressed rift between the two and as he found himself liking Tony even more and more as Tony dropped his layers of defence mechanisms, Bucky might've fell, fell really hard, and he was confident if he tried, he could far in the future make the three of them into something, and consequently, and most importantly Tony would no longer be dying either.

"Tony?" Bucky knocked on the door, hearing no response he knocked again.

"Should we go in? " Bucky asked Steve, Steve nodded in response.

Bucky slipped through the door, Steve followed with no thoughts. They both noticed only the light in the bathroom was on and Bucky walked in confidently, ready to lecture Tony on being late but halted in his step, Steve walked into bucky, grumbling slightly "buck what-..."

Tony was leaning against the toilet, bloody petals strewn across the floor, on his lap and filling the toilets cavity, but what made bucky sick was the blood smudged against the marble floor and dripping out of Tony's mouth, eyes fluttering and breathing shallow.

Bucky snapped into action. "Tony!" Bucky gently shook him, he felt his heart drop when Tony's body weakly dropped backwards and into his arms, head rolling back and neck stretched out.

Steve felt his heart stutter at the scene in front of him and he didn't know why.

-

Steve couldn't seem to utter any words as he watched Bucky tuck Tony into bed, all sense of panic disappearing now that Tony had been checked by the resident doctor, given suitable care and now resting, the rise and fall of his chest bringing comfort to the two watching in heavy silence.

"Do you still not have any feelings for him Steve?" Bucky asked weakly, eyes straying to Tony again and his heart broke all over again.

He looked so fragile. Tony had lost so much weight since Bucky had met him, his skin use to have a healthy glow to it and now it was pallid and had no warmth, Tony looked more like a corpse then a living human being and Bucky was scared that one day he will wake up and that would become reality.

Steve sighed shakily. "I don't know buck, I just feel....lost. It's all mixed up. I don't despise him no more. I think...I think I care?" Steve blurted out messily, trying to fully grasp everything himself as he watched, Steve felt a flicker of hurt as Bucky sighed. 

Steve, over the time that he and Tony had spent together, had come to no longer hate Tony. He had realised he had predispositions enforced by Howard, the media and the mask that Tony wore that matched everyone's assumptions about him.

Begrudgingly, Steve had come to accept that he and everyone was wrong. Tony just liked to pretend, he was under all the layers, a broken person, who tended to spit poison because of his stance. Steve sympathised with Tony and understood him so no he no longer hated Tony, cared for him even, but he didn't love Tony.

Steve hated himself for it, he knew Tony now, but he knew it'd take longer for him to fall in love with Tony, but having buck there and seeing them two engage with each other speed it up a little, but Steve knew his feelings wasn't there yet, and that scared him because Steve knew he didn't have the privilege of time when it came to Tony.

"Please..." Bucky pleaded quietly, words unspoken but clear to Steve, and Steve wanted to make it clear, he also hoped his heart would come to love Tony as it had come to care.

-

Tony had recovered pretty quickly, Steve made sure Tony was comfortable and refused any help for cooking or cleaning, or putting projects together. Bucky made sure any of Tony's duties within the company was handled by others.

Tony was fidgety and hated being "useless" (which steve very much disagreed with and Tonys' inventions should've been enough proof, Steve was starting to realise how shitty Howard was as a father, the more he learnt about Tony). So they made peace and Steve roped Tony into laying on the couch to be drawn.

"You sure you don't want to do this titanic style?" Tony smirked, feeling nervous at the poke he just made, hoping Steve didn't find him that disgusting anymore, so Tony was particularly surprised when Steve flushed and stammered. "No nudity."

Tony could've smirked but instead he felt a fond smile flourish across his face, he stilled a little when Steve glanced up from his sketching pad and caught his eyes intensely, the fond smile on his face fell into warmer smile as he realised how bright Steve’s baby blues were when they actually cared about someone. That made Tony’s Hearst to stutter a little. 

Steve caring almost seemed impossible. Tony found himself wishing more and more that he had a spot in between the two super soldiers, he had pathetically fell for Bucky, the man his husband ‘cheated’ on him with, because Tony was messed up, but it didn’t matter anyway. Tony soon wouldn’t be here anymore.

Where was Tony, oh yes, Tony had never seen Steve's blue eyes look so warm and dark, for once they weren't cold or glaring with too much heat packed behind them.  
Tony found himself falling deeper into Steve's eyes and for a moment he couldn't breath, the room seemed to get more stuffy. Steve broke eye contact and instead his eyes roamed Tony's' body that was strewn across the couch in the position Steve had wanted; legs elegantly crossed over each other, hips tilted and arms above his head, extremely similar to Roses' position in the Titanic so Tony could not help but crack the joke.

"Dinners ready-" Bucky stopped and whistled as he entered the living room, the stark pad in his hand forgotten as he approached the now blushing pair.

"You look a little inviting doll." Bucky smirked, glancing down at Steve's pad and he felt himself enamoured, because god Tony looked good on paper but in real life, Tony could be breath taking in his own way.

Steve cleared his throat, "dinner time." , and scurried out, sketch pad shut close and placed on his pile of other art craft.

Tony watched in confusion and planned to get up but stilled when Bucky tutted.

"Stay like that for me." Bucky muttered, approaching Tony with dark eyes and lips pursed.

Tony nodded and settled back into his position, but his heart sped up and if they both noticed his breathing getting heavier they didn't comment on it.

Tony tensed up as Buckys flesh finger trailed up his bare arms above his head, goosebumps appeared across his skin and he gasped when Buckys flesh hand in a split moment had grabbed both his wrists into a tight grip, pressing them back into the soft leather of the couch.

Bucky licked his lips, and Tony could embrassingly feel blood rush to his groin, becuase here he was laid out like dinner and bucky looked at him like he WAS dinner and Tony couldn't escape him even if he wanted too, firstly because Buckys' grip was strong as hell and Tony really didn't want to break this moment.

"You look ravishing, doll." Bucky growled, metal finger finding its place under Tony's chin to perk it up, Tony definitely didn't make an embarrassing squeaky noise when Bucky placed a full kiss bang on his lips, and no he didn't moan when Buckys tongue slipped into his mouth and took complete dominance.

And in the next moment it was all over, Bucky was strutting away with a smirk, and Tony was left panting on the couch with a problem downstairs to take care of.

\- 

Tony and Steve had some appearances they had to make, regardless of how much Bucky tried to make sure Tony had no commitments and was resting.  
Tony wished he could tell Bucky leaving him with nothing to do, getting Tony to spend as much time with them possible wouldn't change the fact that as days passed by, Tony was a step closer to the shadow of death looming around him eagerly.  
Tony and Steve refused to attend said gala without Bucky, so just like that they had all gotten ready, all of them looking very dashing and all three of them pathetically failing at keeping their eyes or hands to themselves.  
When Steve had first gotten intimate with Tony, Tony felt hesitant, he hated the idea that Steve was tolerating him in bed for Bucky and when Steve had fucked him into his bedsheets so earnestly, sweet words being whispered into his ear as he was edged towards his release, Tony didn't hope it was something else but he didn't care, because either Steve was good at pretending or Tony was delusional, because Tony felt loved with the caressing touches. Tony shook his head, dispelling the dirty images in his head, the last thing he needed right now was to expose his dirty thoughts through the physical appearance of Junior Tony in the middle of the gala, surrounded by hundreds of cameras.  
Tony use to feel at least a little nervous when he had attend these galas with Steve, but now, nothing, he didn't have to worry about Steve trying to escape his presence, because he was now tolerable at least, also Tony could no longer care what the media or other people said about him.  
The reason that the gala was imperative was because all the board of directors was attending and it was important to show them that the company was still in good hands. Though, Tony knew it was no longer his hands going off the experiences tonight and how everybody was treating them.  
Steve and Bucky had been left baffled when they were the ones being asked questions about the company, only ones being greeted and acknowledged and it was very weird, to Tony and everyone, to see the man who used to be centre of attention since his birth to be outcasted like some random one plus.  
However , it wasn't surprising. Things have changed, Howard and Maria Stark was dead so everyone felt less inclined to really give the Stark name the importance it had, of course everything belonged to the Stark family and forever would, the legacy won't ever dissipate, also the name of the company would never change, afterall Tony had married Steve who now carried his surname legally.  
Tony was silently sipping on champagne whilst Steve converses with a director Tony remembered flipping off multiple times when he was an MIT student, drunk, young and wild.  
"You good doll?" Bucky whispered, hands gently touching Tony's elbow, Tony looked up and caught quite a few flashes and almost rolled his eyes. He could already see the headlines 'Tony Stark cozied up to husbands bestie, is he really loyal?'  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Tony strained a smile, and it was clear it was a plain lie to Bucky as he frowned disapprovingly.  
The night had whizzed by, boring conversations and passive aggressive compliments were made, Bucky had constantly checked on him, but as heartwarming it was, Tony felt annoyed, because the whole act made him feel feel pathetic.  
So, could you blame Tony for getting super drunk and causing a bit of ruckus, a ruckus that would probably be making headlines for gossip magazines tomorrow but Tony didn’t care, he almost gloated in the irritated frown on Buckys' face as they roped him into the car and back to the mansion.  
Tony giggled when Steve tried to strap him in, he ignored the sting when Steve sighed with frustration.  
"Why are you being like this doll?" Bucky questioned with equal amounts, if not, more frustration.  
Steve looked out the window for a moment, watching the whizzing lights and Tony gave up, the smile dropped off and instead he laid his head back onto the seat, his neck stretching and clearly showing the trail of lovebites.  
Buckys eye glanced at the bites in satisfaction for a moment before gearing up again, he wouldn't fall for Tony's trick here, he wasn't going to to be roped into bed in order to be distracted from a well needed discussion.  
Bucky looked away in determination and continued, "True, everyone was being a prick tonight, but seeing you ruin yourself...." Bucky trailed off when he looked back at Tony, he felt his heart jump into his throat at the cascading tears from the side of Tony's' face silently.  
Steve looked back to the two due to the sudden silence and felt the pressure in his chest increase when he saw Tony's tears and Buckys' heartbroken expression.  
From there onwards, no more words were spoken, instead the three of them silently intertwined their fingers, and Bucky worked to wipe away Tony's tears.  
Steve glanced at the two, and for once he cursed the fate that Tony was given.  
-  


That same right Steve watched as Tony wrangled out petals into the toilet cavity yet again, he felt every cough that wrecked Tony's thin body. He watched as Bucky attentively cared for Tony, his eyes full of affection but tinted with heartbreak.

Steve left Tony with Bucky and in his anger he ended up punching the wall, denting the wall severely but Steve couldn't care for how reckless he was.

Sometimes, he felt like snarling when he looked at Tony, then he would realise that Tony was actually a good lovable person, Tony had attributes he adored just like Bucky does for Tony, it was a constant imbalance, a pendulum always swinging to the opposite sides non stop and it left Steve dizzy, he was breaking down because he had no time to sort this out,

Tony couldn't ignore some facts, he noticed the jealous twitch that would occur in Steve's face when Bucky showered him with affection, and he couldn’t ignore the fact that he flinched when he heard the splintering of a wall in the other room. The weight of buckys warm hand rubbing on his back calmed him down a little but it didn’t stop from the deepening cave in his chest or the petals feeling it mercilessly, because no matter how much Tony showers them with love, gifts, everything he has, he would never be enough.

Tony stayed quiet, as did bucky, as he was carried to bed. He let bucky gently lay him onto the bed, he had decided to ignore the situation and drift to sleep until he noticed buckys eyes swelling with tears. Tony was speechless for a few seconds before hesitatingly placing his warm against buckys cheek to grab his attention.  
“Bucky?” Tony whispered gently, and it seemed that snapped the string that was holding bucky together because he just broke, right there and then.  
He fell to his knees and sobbed into the sheets while holding Tony’s hand, throaty cries tumbling out his mouth and into the sheets, Tony panic led and scrambled onto his knees, hand gently laying on Tony’s head, “Bucky, what’s wrong?” Tony questioned frantically, his own eyes now tearing up.  
Tony looked up as Steve rushed into the room, concerned and worried, noticing bucky on the floor sobbing Steve’s eyes hardened.  
“What the fuck did you do tony?” Steve growled, rushing towards bucky and pushing Tony’s hand off his with no hesitation, and with that movement all warmth left Tony, all the pieces of him that bucky and steve had glued together with care and affection fell apart again.

It seeemd that even nights of passionate love and sweet whispers, it was clear Tony was just an ornament to their relationships, some entertainment always ready to be cut off the moment it wasn’t needed 

Steves pleas and squeezed whispers to bucky fell silent to Tony’s ear, the sound around him faded into the background as he leant back into the bed, tony shakily started getting off the bed until he heard steve grunt and body tumbling to the floor.

“Are you fucking serious? You think its tony that’s making me cry?! He’s fucking dying! All because your head is too stuck your ass to appreciate him!” Bucky cried, wiping away his tears aggressively, Steve’s looking up at Bucky in shock as he lay on the ground.

Steve started tensing up like a rubber band being stretched, and it filled Tony with fear. 

“What happened to you, Steve? Did this modern really fuck you up so much? The way you treated Tony from the get go, that’s not the scrawny Brooklyn kid that went around d fights with bullies.”Bucky yelled, ignoring Steve’s’ flinches as he mercilessly laid out all of Steves problems and in a way, it broke the roll of film, it it broke the rose-tinted glasses they were all wearing as they tried to ignore the issues within their dynamic.

Tony felt concern as he saw how Steve tensed up further and drawn into himself at the hurtful words. 

“Bucky, maybe-“

“You’ve become so heartless, i thought you started liking him because your eyes melted like they would when you were in love, but it’s like you dont want to give us even a chance! Fuck, Steve. I want us to be happy. Are you that convinced Tony is not enough, because god fucking dammit he is and you need to put faith-“

Steve snapped, the rubber band suddenly let go of, all the tension being released.

“You killed Tony’s parents, it’ll never work!” Steve screamed, panting heavily, eyebrows furrowed in anger jumping in stunned panic as he realised what he said.

“What?” Bucky croaked, all the energy and fight in him a moment ago gone.

Tony was sat in the bed still, Steve expected him to be shocked, angry, furious, any type of negative reaction, but Tony didn’t show any, Tony looked at Steve, he seemed sad but accepting as if he already-

“You knew...” Steve whispered, the moment of absorbing the shocking information was over as Bucky’s hands flew to his collar, scrunching up his top in his fists.

“Buck-“

“You-....”

Bucky spit out between his teeth like he was in pain, Steve felt regret instill deep into him.

Tony had gotten off the bed, looking hesitant if he should jump in between though, not that he could stop much, Tony thought bitterly, butTony was more concerned about Bucky and his reaction to the revelation.

“You let me get sweet on Tony.....knowing I......I m-murdered his parents!” Bucky whimpered, tears swelling up in his eyes as the revelation seemed to sink deeper when spoken.

“Buck-“ Steve felt the words stuck in his throat as Bucky roughly let go of him, his b odd swaying a little. Tony jumped forward a little, scared that Bucky was about to collapse himself.

Bucky noticing Tony’s nearing presence looked up, Tony felt a twinge in his chest as normally warm brown eyes that welcomed him home were dark and stormy.

“-and you knew? And....and you still accepted me? Kissed me? Let me fuck you!” Bucky cried out, hands curling around his hair.

Tony flinched at the words, eyes tearing up as he saw the man he loved breaking into pieces before him.

“It wasn’t you!” Tony cried back, eyes pleading and Tony wanted to just ran up to bucky and gather him in his arms, but bucky ignored his pleading eyes, too drowned in his erupting thoughts, burning down any sense or rationality like a flowing magma.

Steve stared at Tony in shock.

“I-I...am i a toy? Why did you guys toy with me... like...like...I need air.” Bucky avoided Tony’s hands and pushed away Steve’s as he rushed out the room, stumbling slightly.

There was a heavy silence left hanging in the room once Bucky left. Steve rubbed his hand across his face in a tired a manner before looking timidly to Tony.

“You really don’t blame Bucky?” Steve questioned hesitantly.

Tony sat on the bed, he didn’t answer the question instead he asked tiredly, “Was this why you refused to let us three become more?”

Steve blinked in embarrassment. It was. 

This whole time, every time Steve was convinced all three of them could become swell, that he would finally fall for Tony, he’d be reminded that Bucky killed Tony’s parents and he would dismiss the idea, he thought he had to choose, but today had shown what a big idiot Steve was.

He might’ve just ruined the best thing that could happen to him.

Tony’s eyes looked at him sadly. “I love Bucky. He’s your other soulmate right?” Tony questioned.

Steve blinked in shock at the two different statements, “how,what-“ 

Tony unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the collar down on his right hand side and showed the birthmark Steve had seen multiple times.

Seeing Steve’s confusion, Tony stepped forward, “if you cut Bucky’s mark in half...”

“It would be your mark....” Steve finished off, trailing off as he’s mind tried to grasp everything happening.

“This is.... this is great Tony! We...we could-“ Steve’s excitement dulled suddenly, he for a moment had thought this was the ticket to not only resolve their current argument but the whole situation, but the broken smile on Tony’s face said otherwise. 

Tony reached to the drawers beside his bed and picked something out, Steve watched Tony as he approached with gently closed fits, and when Tony opened his fist, Steve recognised the petals Tony choked up, nothing out of the norm except, there was a new petal. 

Steve felt the floor disappear beneath him.

“-but Bucky doesn’t love me. “ Tony picked out the red petal in between the yellow.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment your thoughts :)


End file.
